The Firefox add-on Status-bar Scientific Calculator offers another option. It adds a single icon to the status bar of the web browser that expands to a form on click. Here it is then possible to make basic and advanced calculations without ever leaving the browser window.

Just type in the values like you would in a normal calculator, and keep in mind that you need to use brackets to change the processing order. The calculator supports all basic operations plus a lot of advanced operations that involve complex numbers. Among those are switching from decimal and hexadecimal to all other bases from 2 to 24.

Some options can be switched with a left-click on the icon and the selection in the context menu. Others are only available in the calculator’s options.

Here it is for instance possible to define constants and functions. Constants like pi, e or the Boltzmann constant are already available, with options to add more constants easily. These constants can simple be added to the calculation to make use of them.

It is the same for functions, even though it appears to be slightly more complicated to create new ones as basic programming skills are required. The add-on ships with three functions.

You last not but not least can configure operators of which three are available as well.

The add-on supports up to ten digits after the decimal point, with options to increase or decrease that number in the settings.

Firefox users who would like to give a built-in calculator a try can download and install the extension from the official Mozilla Firefox add-on repository.

The description on Microsoft.com is short but up to the point: “Microsoft Mathematics provides a graphing calculator that plots in 2D and 3D, step-by-step equation solving, and useful tools to help students with math and science studies.

Microsoft Mathematics includes a full-featured graphing calculator that’s designed to work just like a handheld calculator. Additional math tools help you evaluate triangles, convert from one system of units to another, and solve systems of equations.”.

Microsoft Mathematics can help you with many tasks, including:

• Computing standard mathematical functions such as roots and logarithms
• Solving equations and inequalities.
• Solving triangles.
• Converting measurements from one unit to another
• Computing trigonometric functions, such as sine and cosine
• Performing matrix and vector operations, such as inverses and cross-products.
• Computing basic statistics, such as mean and standard deviation.
• Performing operations on complex numbers
• Plotting 2D and 3D graphs in Cartesian, polar, cylindrical, and spherical coordinates. /li>
• Finding derivatives and integrals, limits and sums and products of series
• Finding, plotting, and solving common formulas and equations.

The software uses the standard Microsoft ribbon interface that is also used in Microsoft Office and other Microsoft applications. Users can start entering expressions right away which are then processed and solved by the application automatically.

A mobile phone like calculator on the left side contains elements and options that can be added to the expression, helpful if the element cannot be entered via the keyboard. One interesting option is the ink mode which can be used to write elements with the mouse.

Microsoft Mathematics displays two tabs (Worksheet and Graphing) which show the input, output and a visual representation. The application comes with additional tools including an equation solver, formulas and equations that can be viewed and used, a triangle solver and unit converter.

The application comes with a help file that explains the functionality in detail and with examples. Microsoft Mathematics is available for 32-bit and 64-bit editions of the Windows operating system. It requires the Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 SP1.

This lovely little device is a mouse with a built-in calculator.  While the idea might seem a little silly to some, it certainly has merit.

It’s features include…

This is no cheaply made device either, it’s a precision laser mouse and a great way to reduce desktop clutter.  You don’t for instance need to be using your mouse when working out a calculation, so why have two devices?

This is a product destined for a niche market, especially given that most people will be concerned what happens when they’re constantly pressing buttons while using it as a mouse.  For some people though this is an excellent and inventively simple solution to a problem that’s plagued the PC for the last twenty years.

The extension places one of those dreaded icons in the Google Chrome header that opens a popup window when clicked on.

Here it is then possible to perform calculations and conversions easily. Supported among others are for instance:

• Mixed unit calculations — 2 mi + 4 km + 3 light-years in feet
• Unit conversion — 1/4 cup in tablespoons
• Currency conversion — 56 dollars in euros
• Hex, octal, binary — 4 + 0xAF + 0o71 + 0b10 in hex
• Mathematical functions — tan(pi/4), log(10), sqrt(2), etc.
• Mathematical and physical constants — pi, e, h, c, etc.
• Solve equations — solve(2 x^2 – 1 = 0)
• Derivatives and integrals
• Vector calculations

Chromey Calculator adds three core features to the power of the two calculators:

• Persistent printer tape style history – The extension displays the most recent calculation in its interface.
• Persistent links to original source of each result
• Persistent user variables – User variables can be created with @chars=

Quick Tips
* Last result can be accessed using the “@” variable.
* Create your own user variables — @abc_123 = 42
* Store an unevaluated expression — @x := 10 meters
* Use up/down arrow keys to access input history.
* Click on any result to insert it into the input area.
* Ctrl+Click or Cmd+Click (OS X) on any result to copy to clipboard.
* Click the little arrow at the upper right to pop out to new window.
* Hover over the the empty space to the left of any result to reveal a
“G” or “W” link. Click the link to see the original source of a result in
Google or Wolfram|Alpha.

Chrome users who install the extension should take a closer look at the Google Calculator and Wolfram|Alpha examples.

Chromey Calculator can be downloaded and installed from the Google Chrome Extensions Gallery.

The calculator can be downloaded as a portable version or installer for most Windows operating systems including Windows XP and Windows Vista with the likelihood that it will also work fine in Windows 7.

The calculator presents itself in a very compact interface. This can be a bit problematic for new users who are looking for a specific feature or function. Some buttons change parts of the interface completely. Pressing the buttons 1-5 that are displayed in the middle of the calculator will for instance change the operations and functions in the lower left half completely. One interesting option is the ability to add, move or remove new operations and functions from that part of the calculator. That’s excellent for users who regularly work with a specific set of operators and functions to access them directly without having to change the interface. It is furthermore possible to add new functions and operators that can then be added to the interface.

The unit and currency converter are accessible from the top menu. Everything can also be accessed by using keyboard shortcuts. Hexelon Max Calculator is a well thought out calculator that’s perfect for users who want to customize the calculators interface to suite their specific needs.

The calculator comes with a math book, constants, functions, permanent variables and a history feature. One of the interesting features is syntax highlighting. SpeedCrunch will display the calculation in various colors which makes it easier to check the equation.

Another helpful function is auto completion which will display matching functions, constants or variables.

SpeedCrunch supports more than a dozen languages and can be downloaded right from the developer’s website.

The Online Calculator eCalc comes in two shapes. A basic and a scientific calculator. The basic one misses a lot of features like the history, conversions and scientific functions that are available in the scientific calculator. Both look colorful and can be used with the mouse only. Some chars can also be added with the keyboard.

The calculator offers additional functions that cannot be found in the ones that ship with the operating system. It contains an impressive list of units that can be converted easily. If you ever wanted to convert carat into grain this feature is for you.

The calculator does provide access to constants that can be used in the calculator, base conversions and an equation solver that is divided into an root and linear solver.

I’m not using calculators that often and will most likely make no use of eCalc but it could be a nice online service for users who use calculators regularly.